Ferrari continues to work towards improvement. Several measures have been put together by the Maranello team in recent months. In addition to the technical aspect, the assembly phase of the Project 676 vehicle is currently underway. Operational restructuring is also taking place. Fred Vasseur is trying to consolidate within the Ferrari Racing Division after “shopping” in Great Britain.
Morale is very high, as assured by contacts within the factory. The focus is at its peak, and the fresh air provided by various elements can only be beneficial. The working group is exerting considerable effort on a challenging topic for the Prancing Horse: tire management. An enduring issue that has plagued the team for a long time, which, by force, needed to be resolved.
New suspension geometries, gearbox and differential casing resizing, increased diffuser extraction, revised front wing, and repositioned intrusion cone: all maneuvers to correct the vortex structure of the single-seater, adding more than one digit to the aerodynamic load value, and consequently enhancing Pirelli tire management in the race to maximize the car’s potential over the long distance.
Correcting an incorrect or outdated setup of an F1 car requires a profound commitment. Ferrari began this work last racing season. Although, as mentioned, there is confidence in having successfully completed the tasks at hand, it is clear that only the track will validate the activities carried out over the past few months.
Meanwhile, the engineers in charge of the vehicle dynamics department are in ferment. We are talking about a different qualitative approach to optimize the result and, at the same time, get the most out of the “tire wear” aspect. Because, as we know well, the SF-23 teaches us, competing in a Formula 1 Grand Prix with the “handbrake on” to avoid tire degradation results in mediocre car performance.
There is, therefore, a very interesting aspect to consider. Assuming the “initiatives” spent on shaping Project 676 are valid, it should not be forgotten that, for an F1 car, fine-tuning is an essential factor. In other words, to have the potential in hand does not necessarily mean knowing how to exploit it properly. Red Bull, for example, has been working on this aspect for many years, during which it has built up an extraordinary “tire know-how.”
We are talking about technical baggage to be used during the weekend, placing a clear goal at the center of the weekend: achieving the best version of itself on Sunday, the day when points are distributed. Ferrari, in the last championship, suffered quite a bit in this regard, and the excellent results obtained on Saturdays were rarely confirmed during the race. An approach “poisoned” by setup restrictions that should not exist at all at the start of the upcoming Formula One season.
Awareness of the tedious tire issue is therefore maturing. This distinctive trait that the Scuderia aims to openly manifest in 2024. According to information gathered by the editorial team of FUnoanalisitecnica, we refer to a “group” of dedicated engineers who will work closely with the technical department, involving new additions to bring knowledge. At the same time, the work has just begun and must find significant developmental progress over the course of the season to increase experience.
Source: Alessandro Arcari for FUnoanalisitecnica
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